Angels That Won't Return
by Riley72
Summary: Leo is rescued by his brothers. But for some reason he isn't the same... does he really hate them? Can he pull through for them like he's done so many times, or is this it? The end of the line for their Fearless Leader? Leocentric
1. Waiting

OK, so this is a semi-rewrite of the first chapter, hopefully it's a little more readable now!

Oh, and I don't own the turtles.

hope ya enjoy

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**Chapter One - Waiting**

Raphael reached for Leo- who cried out and tried to twist away- pulling even tighter on the ropes, a groan of pain escaped him at the movement, and after a second, he hung still.

"Easy bro. I've got you." Raphael said quietly, then, Leo began to cry, soft, silent, tears of pain. A groan escaped his older brother as Raphael tried to untie the ropes around his wrists.The knots had pulled tight enough to make Leo's wrists bleed because of his struggling, and Raphael was starting to wonder about his ability to untie them.

He knew he could just cut them off, but he was dubious about his ability to do so without cutting his brother. The ropes where horribly embedded in the skin around his wrists. "Raph!" Michaelangelo shouted.

"In here Mikey!" Raphael shouted, managing to undo one of the ropes around Leo's left wrist, but there were still two to go. One rope, Leo could probably have broken, if he had really put his mind to it, but two? No chance. Unless he was absolutely desperate, and wild with worry. Even then, it would be unlikely. Three? Impossible. These where thick set ropes.

Michaelangelo stopped when he saw Raphael and Leonardo. "Oh, Leo." He whispered.

"Get Donny." Raphael hissed, struggling with another knot. Michaelangelo ran off, and before Raphael moved onto the last knot, Mikey had returned with Donnatello.

Donnatello's face twisted, and he drew a small blade. "You got him, Raph?" Donnatello whispered. Raphael nodded a little.

"Jus'... jus get him outta this." Raphael whispered. Donnatello stepped forward, and with evident skill, cut the last knot on Leonardo's left hand carefully, it took some time for the knife to cut through the rope. Raphael staggered under the sudden weight. He was surprised, then worried. If his brother had been able, he would have kept most of his weight on his own- but his knees just caved and he fell into Raphael. "Damn, Leo. Hold on bro."

Donnatello moved on, cutting the knots on Leo's right wrist. Once that arm was free, Leo moaned in pain and Raphael followed him gently to the ground.

"Leo!" Michaelangelo cried in alarm.

"He's OK, Mikey." Raph said quietly. Donnatello knelt beside them.

"I haven't time to check him here, Raph." Donnatello said gently. "They could be back any minute." A small cry escaped Leonardo, and though Raphael had been worried about his older brother before, what happened next scared the shell out of him. Leonardo curled closer to Raphael for comfort and warmth.

"Damn, Donny. He's so cold..." Raphael whispered. "Stay here. Mikey- help Raph, keep Leo as warm as possible. I'll bring the battle shell up."

Michaelangelo nodded and sat beside Raphael. "Oh, shell..." Michaelangelo whispered, voice and face betraying the pain he felt inside. "What the shell did they do to him, Raph?"

"I dunno, Mikey." Raphael muttered weakly. "But who ever is responsible for it... is gonna pay."

Leo shuddered, sweat breaking out on his forehead. Michaelangelo moved forward, to offer his warmth and comfort. "Careful, Mikey. He's got... bruises and cuts everywhere." Raphael warned. Michaelangelo nodded grimly.

"I'll kill them." Michaelangelo said very softly, voice full of venom and rage. Raphael cut a worried look to his youngest brother. Then cursed himself, because all he could do was hold Leo, and hope that everything would turn out OK.

He didn't know what to do to soothe Mikey. It worried him, though, his happy-go-lucky brother looked completely destroyed. He looked down to Leo. _You would know what to do... to make it better._ He told his brother silently.

"He'll be OK, Mike." Raphael offered.

"I don't care. It doesn't matter that he'll be OK, or not. I'm gonna make them sorry for what they did to him. I'll hurt them so bad."

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Leo flinched from Michaelangelo's touch unconsciously. "Leo?" Michaelangelo gaped.

"Mikey?" Leo gasped, eyes opening. "What-!" He sat up so quickly, then curled over his side. "Damnit!" He cried out, choking on the pain.

Donnatello was quick to push him back down. "Relax, Leo. You're safe now." Donnatello hushed. Leo stared at him minute, breathing hard.

"Don? Is... is it really... you guys?" Leo asked carefully.

"Of course it is, Bro." Michaelangelo answered instantly. Leo turned his stare to Michaelangelo. His gaze was broken- like he was lost in despair.

His face twisted. "Oh, shell..."

"What is it, Leo?" Donnatello asked, he had cared for his brothers wounds as much as he could, without all his equipment that he had at the lab. Leo shook his head helplessly.

"I don't... I don't know... if it's- really you guys..." Leo whispered.

"What the shell does that mean? Of course it's us!" Michaelangelo replied flatly. Leo stared hard at him, then swallowed.

"W... where are we?" He asked weakly.

"Battle shell. Leo, what happened? Who did this to you?" Donnatello demanded gently.

Leo's eyes never left Donnatello's. "You guys did." Then he turned away painfully, facing the wall of the Battle Shell, his back facing Donnatello and Michaelangelo, he drew his left leg up a little, trying to brace his right knee.

Michaelangelo cried something in disbeleif, but Donnatello didn't hear him. He stared hard at his oldest brothers back, begging him to turn around, to tell him it was a joke- or at least... to explain. But then, if Leo didn't know... how could he explain?

"Oh, shell." Donnatello whispered, almost reaching out for Leo- but his hand wavered above his right shoulder helplessly. Then, he drew away. Michaelangelo cut a wild, helpless scared look to Donnatello.

"But- Donny!" Michaelangelo cried out again, and reached for Leo.

"No, don't touch him Mikey." Donnatello said quickly.

"But--" Michaelangelo began. "His my bro!"

Donnatello looked away. Even though Leo knew- or at least, Donnatello hoped he knew- that his _real_ brothers wouldn't hurt him... he knew it would be a long, long time, until Leo trusted them again.

"Leo... Oh shell- I'm so sorry... Please-" Donnatello began, but Leo's shoulders hunched at the words, as if they caused him pain. "It's OK, bro... We'll... I'll... it'll..." Donnatello flailed. "We'll help you."

"We're here, now."

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Leonardo lingered in the doorway- he _knew_... he understood- but... he couldn't... Just- hands down, absolutely _could not_-

"Leo- you shouldn't--" Michaelangelo began, then trailed off. Leo looked over his shoulder at his youngest brother. "Donny... Donny says... that you shouldn't... you... you shouldn't be outta bed yet..."

Leo didn't say a word, just stared silently at Michaelangelo. But Michaelangelo just stared right back.

"You _know_ it's us, right? We're home- you're safe. We're... you're OK, now bro." Michaelangelo began, Leo's eyes slipped to the floor.

"Mikey- who the shell are ya talkin' to..." Raphael began, then trailed off, seeing Leo. "You uh... shouldn't be out of-"

"I told him that already!" Michaelangelo snapped, nerves frayed. Raphael glared at him for a second.

"Come on, Leo. Let's... you should go back to bed-" Raphael began, unconsciously reaching for his brothers arm to guide him back to the infirmary.

Leo recoiled. Raphael stopped, eyes on his hand, then on Leo.

"Damnit, Leo! It's _us!_ We ain't gonna hurt you!" Raphael snarled. He thought mildly that the worst thing he could do right now was get angry- that it could only make things worse- but then the rage bubbled up, and he gave up trying to be calm and reasonable. It wasn't his strong point, and being angry was better than being hurt or scared anyday.

He reached again for Leo- even while Michaelangelo reached out to stop him. Raphael grabbed Leo's right fore-arm in a vice-like grip.

A cry of alarm and pain escaped Mikey's older brother and he flinched away- trying to free himself from Raphael's grip.

"Raph!" Michaelangelo cried. "Leo- Donny! Master Splinter!" Michaelangelo shouted names off in rapid-fire, hoping that _someone_ would either come to their senses, or come to the rescue.

He got both.

Donnatello rushed in- ready to pull Raphael off Leo, but his intervention was not required.

Leo swept Raphael's feet from under him- and followed him down- he punched Raphael, not as hard as he could- but hard enough- and twisted one of Raphael's fingers back, until Raphael cried out and released his arm. Then, Leo leapt up and away, smoothly.

"You ever _touch_ me again- and I'll..." Leo trailed off, not even breathing heavily. Michaelangelo helped a stunned Raphael sit up, then stand.

"It's 'bout bloody time you got some fight into you Leo! It's _us_ OK! We ain't gonna hurt ya!" Raphael snarled.

"Raph-" Michaelangelo began, but Donnatello shook his head. Michaelangelo frowned at him.

"You hurt me then." Leo said flatly.

"You... what?" Raphael gaped, looking at Leo's right fore-arm, sure enough, the flesh looked sore, red, from being gripped so hard.

Leo merely glared vehemently at him. "Don't... don't you _understand?!_" Leo snarled.

"Understand what?! What the shell is there to understand?! You got beat up bad- OK? By people- things, made to look like us- big deal! It's _over_! Suck it up!" Raphael growled, equally savage. "What the _shell_ is there for us to understand?!"

Leo stared hard at Raphael for a minute, then at Donnatello and Michaelangelo. "You don't want to hear this." He said very softly to Michaelangelo.

"But-" Michaelangelo cried.

"Go, Mikey. Now!" Donnatello barked. Michaelangelo left slowly, reluctantly. After he was well gone, and they heard the TV come on, Donnatello turned back to Leo. "What don't we understand, Leo? Please- let us help... Tell us what we don't understand." Donnatello asked calmly, trying to be reasonable.

Leo laughed dryly. But Donnatello got the impression that the only reason he laughed was so that he didn't have to cry. "You don't understand... how hard it is... for me..." Leo looked away bitterly. Raphael took a menacing step forward. "Back off!" Leo snarled suddenly, eyes locking on Raphaels, glowing with a fierce anger.

"Raph." Donnatello warned. Then nodded to Leo.

"Sure, I _know_ it wasn't you guys that did it. My mind knows. But my body doesn't. My body- my heart, can't tell the difference. Only my mind knows." Leo paused. "The kind of betrayal... I felt. You can't... even begin to... contemplate... the kind of pain y-they put me through, the mental pain, as well as the physical torture " Donnatello flinched at the word "because for a whole week, I didn't know it _wasn't_ really... you. How much I thought you must have... loathed me to... do that..." Leo sighed, drawing a shaking breath. "Right now... I can't bare to- have any of you near me, let alone touch me... because I'm trying so _fucking_ hard not to hate you."

Raphael recoiled, Donnatello's chest lurched. And Mikey's heart broke. Yeah- he was listening, just outside the hallway.

"What?!" Raphael spluttered.

Leo shook his head, a look of contempt on his face as he stared at Raphael.

Leo was the first to walk away. Raphael and Donnatello remained, staring at the spot where their oldest brother had been standing. Michaelangelo slid down the wall, helpless tears over-whelming him.

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"Don't worry, Mikey. We'll get him back..." Donnatello said as kindly as he could. He and Raphael had found him, basically drowning in his tears outside the hallway. "You remember when he hit Raph? He pulled his punch. He wouldn't have done that if he hated us. He's just... trying to get over what... they did to him."

"But... But he said-" Michaelangelo floundered.

"We just gotta give him time, Mikey. Raph, that goes for you too. Don't you _dare_ loose your cool like you did today!" Donnatello threatened. Raphael looked away.

"What can we do, Donny?" Michaelangelo whispered. "He's hurt! So fix him! You know how to fix things that get broken- so fix him! Fix us!"

Donnatello looked away bitterly. Michaelangelo was not usually so child-like. He wondered why he had regressed so much now. _Maybe... maybe it's his last defense._ "Oh, shell, Mikey. I'm... I fix machines, computers. Not people."

"I don't care! Fix him- tell me how- I'll do it! Please!" Michaelangelo begged. "You're a doctor- make him better!"

_I'm not that kind of doctor, Mikey... I fix wounds, I help get rid of flues and muscle cramps... Physical wounds and pains... Those, I fix. People... no. I don't fix what's inside people... Not what counts, anyway..._

"I..." Donnatello trailed of. _I don't know how, Mikey. __**I don't know how to make this better! I don't know **_how_** to fix him!**_ "I'll try, OK? But we all gotta try, and we gotta give him time. It'll take time."

"It'll just take time." Donnatello repeated, aware that no one listened to him now. The words were just for him, and they didn't help.

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"Sit down, we needa talk." Raphael said carefully.

Leo kept walking, didn't even react.

"Sit down, it's just a talk." Raphael repeated. Leo stared at him, and Raphael forced a smile. "Just a talk."

Leo watched him carefully, then sat down opposite him, as far away as he could get, while still being in the same room. They sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. "So, talk." Leo said tersely.

Raphael's eyes narrowed, and for a second, he began to wonder why he was bothering- then, he remembered Mikey's desperate pleading look, and Donny's sad look of resignation. _They've reached the end of their rope... They can't go on like this._

_We gotta fix him. Somehow. __**I**__ gotta fix him_.

"Shell, Leo. Where did we go wrong? We used to be best friends. You an' me. I dunno where I lost ya... Maybe you lost me. I dunno, honestly, I don't care. I just... I miss you, bro. We all miss you. The turtle you used ta be." Raphael sighed.

Leo remained in his uncomfortable silence.

Raphael swallowed. _Real helpful. Suppose, now ain't tha besta times ta have a heart-ta-heart with me bro..._ He decided dryly. "We... I know you mean best, used to mean best, anyway, when you pushed us so hard, gave me so much stick. Everything. I jus'... never appreciated how hard it was- how hard _we_ were, on ya. And I'm sorry fer that, bro. Really. But ya never said a thing. I know that doesn't mean nothing. But how where we ta know you were hurting? Ya hid it so damn well. Shell. You're killin' us. I know that don't help, because whatever happened to you, is killing ya too."

Nothing.

Raphael sighed again. _Shell, I've started now, no sense in stopping..._ Try and slip past his defence, Raph. You guys used to be real close. You're... you're our last hope. Without Master Splinter here... Shell, Raph... I don't know what to do anymore. Donnatello's last words to him before Raph's talk to Leo, still rang clear in his mind, and Michaelangelos hopeful smile was the only thing keeping him going.

"I know ya'd do anything for us. You've proved it, so many times. Shell, you've nearly died for us... Done everything you ever possibly could- and we keep askin' fer more." Raphael paused, hoping for something- _anything_ from his older brother.

Nothing.

"You always bounce back, over come everything. Truth be told, I've been wonderin' a while now, past half year or so, if ya had any miraculous recoveries left in ya..." Raphael paused, eyes never leaving his brothers- but wait- Leo had been staring hard at him all through the conversation, if it could be called that. But now- his eyes where on the floor, as if he couldn't look at Raphael anymore. Couldn't meet his eyes.

"But god, I hope ya do. Cos we need ya bro." Raphael whispered. "We- _I_- need ya to have one more miraculous recovery left in ya. We need ya ta come back to us."

_Do what you can, Raph. Lay down all you've got to say... And... then.. shell- pray to god he hears you. Listens to you..._

Nothing.

Raphael sat back, helpless. Giving up. He had nothing left. He had nothing else to say, he didn't know how to fix Leo. Maybe Leo couldn't be fixed anymore. There's only so many band-aids you can put on something before it stops helping. There's only so many times you can wrap duct-tape around a crack in a pipe before the water leaks through anyway.

"Alright, bro. I'm sorry." Raphael sighed. "Jus' wish... ya know, now that I finally get all emotional and that crap, that you'd kinda be the same."

Nothing.

He stood, sending a last, helpless look at his brother.

But, now, sitting in the chair, the figure wasn't his brother. His brother was lost inside.

"Ya bent and broken, Leo. I understand that. And... we don't mind if ya... never really come back ta us... It's OK, we'll... shell, we understand." Raphael muttered. _Come on, Leo! Pull through- suck it up! This is your cue to get all bouncy and leap around shouting out orders and takin' us on patrol-_

Nothing.

Raphael walked away.

_Nothing._

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Raphael sighed, staring up silently at his ceiling when the door opened. Donnatello had been up twice already, checking on him. And Mikey had been up four or five times. Raphael had given up on Leo ever coming up.

_Leo?_ He asked himself, begging- so, he hadn't given up. Big deal.

His heart sank. "Hey, Raph... I brought... some food up... just... in case." Michaelangelo said weakly.

"Where's Leo?" Raphael asked quietly.

"Dojo." Michaelangelo replied flatly. Raphael frowned. "What?"

"The Dojo. He's been home, what? A month? Two weeks bed ridden. Two weeks up and about. Tell me, the two places he ain't been-"

"Master Splinter's room- and the dojo!" Michaelangelo grinned, dropping the tray- sending food everywhere. But Raphael didn't mind.

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"Raph, you go. Mikey, with me." Donnatello said quietly.

"Aw- but, Donny!" Michaelangelo cried.

"No, Raph _might_ have made the break through. Let him talk to Leo." Donnatello said flatly. Michaelangelo pulled a face, then grinned wildly at Raphael, before allowing Donnatello to drag him away.

Raphael took a deep breath, then entered the dojo. Leo was running through a Kata, swords flashing in the candle light. _Jus' like old times._ Raphael buried the smile. _This don't mean shell yet._

"Leo?" Raphael asked softly.

Leo's shoulders tensed, but he didn't pause in the Kata.

Raphael stood in silence. He didn't know why- but it felt like Leo had something to say.

"I tried to be perfect. But it wasn't enough. I trained for hours every day- and all I got was stick for it. The reason I trained so hard was so that I could look after you. Make sure you all got home OK. I was so strict and so careful and always planning so I could make sure you didn't get hurt. All I got for that was trouble for my efforts. I kinda got to thinking all of it... just wasn't worth it. But then I thought about all the close calls we had. How many times you or Mikey or Donny would have been killed- if I hadn't been there, if I hadn't trained so hard- if I hadn't been so careful. And that did make it worth it." Leo paused for breath, he finished the Kata he had been on, and started another smoothly. This time, it was an advanced one. One Raphael couldn't do yet.

Raphael looked away. _Damnit, Leo. You always manage to make me feel like shit._

"I always knew you where all right behind me, that if I fell to pieces, you'd help put me back together. But, I just felt like we were running in circles. And I'm tired." Leo sighed.

"So, what?" Raphael asked weakly.

"All those close calls, I was never sure we'd all make it through. But I always had faith." Leo stopped.

"And?"

"This time, I don't know... I don't know if we... I... can make it through this."

Raphael's world shattered. "So ya just gonna give up? Is that what you're sayin?" Raphael demanded. _How could he- how can Leo even __**think**__ about givin' up?!_

Leo didn't reply.

"I need you!" Raphael shouted out helplessly, before he knew what he was saying.

Everything seemed to stop. Leo stopped, Raphael stopped- the candles stopped burning, the wax stopped melting.

"No, you don't." Leo said softly, he sheathed his blades, then drew the strap from his shoulder. As he walked past Raphael, he pressed the sheathed blades into Raphael's plastron. "You need- who I was. A leader."

_No, Leo. You're wrong. I don't need a Leader. I never did._

"I need a brother."

But it was too late.

He was gone.

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Raphael sat in a heavy silence. "He ain't comin' back, not this time. He ain't got no miraculous recoveries left in 'im." Raphael said softly, voice weak, as if he couldn't beleive what he was saying.

Michaelangelo didn't cry. Couldn't cry. The pain inside him... was past crying.

Donnatello looked away from his brothers. "We're... we're gonna fall apart at the seams, without him."

Raphael nodded. All he could do was sit tight, and watch his brothers unravel.

_You guys... are the reason I'm holding on..._ Raphael thought wearily. Shell, he was so tired. All he wanted to do was lay down and... what? Sleep? No. Die?

He didn't want to answer that question.

They sat in that horrible, painful silence, unable to look at eachother- but waiting... waiting- for what?

Waiting for the echoes of an angel that wouldn't return.

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so I hope the dividers stayed this time, the first time no matter what I did they wouldn't stay, and that made it really hard to read, but it had just pissed me off so much I didn't want to try again... hehehe...

thanks for reading


	2. Nightmares and Seven Days

**Chapter Two - Nightmares, and Seven Days**

Fortunately- perhaps, for the younger brothers, though Leonardo was changed, almost beyond recognition, he was still far too responsible to leave his brothers alone.

Michaelangelo watched his brother- was he still his brother? Yes. Leo flinched at his touch, hardly looked or spoke to him, but he was still Mikey's oldest brother. Just... different. Michaelangelo sighed- it had been two months- two whole, painful, agonising months.

Now, Michaelangelo was glad Leo had not just packed up and left- but he may as well have, there was no one home, no one inside. Leo had once admitted he feared he had simply become the weapon of the family, to be used, then thrown away when deemed useless. But now... shell. Michaelangelo was all cried out, of that, he was glad. But, looking at his oldest brother now, kind of made him feel sick.

And he knew exactly how Raphael felt about it- or, how he _wanted_ to feel about it. Because he had been devastated when Leo had left them, not physically, mind, but mentally, their brother was gone. But now, he made no effort hiding that all he wanted was for Leo to finish the job, and leave them physically, as well as mentally and emotionally.

Maybe that was why Raphael was hardly at the Lair anymore. Michaelangelo had never felt so alone. Raphael was always out, staying with Casey, or fighting crime, with Casey- or working on the bike with Casey. And Donny, well- Donny was always busy too. He always had something more important to be doing in his lab.

So Michaelangelo was left alone, with the shell - no pun intened- of his oldest brother. Watching, waiting, hoping. Hoping that one day, Leo would come back- he'd been hurt before, physically- mentally- he ahd recovered.

Michaelangelo refused to beleive that his oldest brother, his hero- would leave him alone, would abandon him.

_You always got me through my nightmares bro- get me through this one._

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"Shell, Don- does Leo even know _who_ he is? Cos the look in his eye- it sure as hell don't look like he's home!" Raphael demanded, late one night, after Raphael had waltzed in, seeking medical help from Donnatello- for a small cut on his right forearm.

"I don't know, Raph. This time- I don't have the answers!" Donnatello snapped right on back. He was sick of Raph, sick of Leo- no... that wasn't fair. It wasn't... Leo's fault that he was so... destroyed.

"What the shell are you doing all night and day, then?" Raphael asked flatly.

"Same as you." Donnatello said flatly. "Avoiding Leo." Donnatello sighed and sat back. "You're lucky, it could have been worse."

"What, Leo?"

"No, your arm."

"Oh." Raphael rolled his shoulders tiredly. He could feel the muscles cramping up.

"Maybe... maybe if we could just get him to _talk_ about what... what happened." Donnatello muttered, more to himself than to Raphael. "But... We've tried everything..."

"Ya know, I could have a crack at beatin' it outta him." Raphael sneered.

"Oh, yes, Raphael. Because that will do Leo a ton of help!" Donnatello whispered, blood boiling. "He just..." _Needs time... How much more __**time**__ will he need?! We need him- don't we matter anymore?!_

Raphael cut Donnatello a dirty look, he knew exactly what Donny was going to say, and walked away.

_Don't you... aren't we... aren't we worth fighting for anymore, Leo?_

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"You what?! You're leaving- _again_?!" Michaelangelo screamed desperately. "Again?!" He repeated.

"What the shell is going on?" Raphael growled, entering the living room to an eerily familiar sight. A sight that reminded him horribly of the day Leo left for South America?/Africa. "What the-"

"Leo's leaving!" Michaelangelo cried. Leo cut him a look, then turned to face his hot-headed brother full on.

"You... you what? You're... you're leavin'?" Raphael gaped. Leo nodded. "Why?" Raphael asked- feeling betrayed, angry, scared, hurt- too many things at once. So he chose the emotion he was most familiar with- anger.

"I suggested it." Donnatello said quietly. Two sets of eyes turned on Donnatello. Michaelangelo's eyes were pleading- shiny with tears, Raphael's eyes where shiny with anger. "Leo isn't healing here. He needs to get away again. Heal. Find himself agai-"

"Shuddup! Just shuddup!" Raphael snarled suddenly, making Michaelangelo jump. "Leo!" Raphael spun on Leo angrily. "If you leave us again- I'll personally make sure you don't come back!"

"When... when are you leaving?" Michaelangelo whispered.

"Tonight." Leo spoke finally.

"But- you... I- please! Don't go!" Michaelangelo continued, voice breaking. Leo looked away, eyes on the floor. "There's gotta be something else we can do!" Michaelangelo's eyes scanned the room, as if he could draw inspiration. His eyes landed on Master Splinters door. "Bro- that's it!"

His older brothers all looked at him, Leo reluctantly. "What's it?" Donnatello asked carefully.

"Meditating!" Michaelangelo cried. "Meditating always worked before! Why won't it work now?!"

"Mikey, I don't... I don't think it's that simple, anymore. I don't think what's been done to Leo... can be undone... by just meditation." Donnatello sighed helplessly.

"So- postpone- a week- just a week! Please!" Michaelangelo begged. Donnatello looked to Leo, who stared right on back, revealing nothing. Empty.

Empty.

How could there be so little... when there had been so much? Donnatello asked himself- but no answer came. Or at least, no answer he liked. _Whatever... whatever happened to Leo... the hours of betrayal he must have felt... Mikey, or Me or Raph- would have been able to recover from something like that... But not Leo. Leo __**lives**__ for us..._

"Mikey-" Donnatello began, but Michaelangelo sensed weakness.

"Please! Just _one week_!" He begged again. Donnatello sighed- and looked once more to Leo- but he was gone. He had apparently known Donnatello would cave to Michaelangelo.

_Maybe... maybe Leo can be saved... I'd rather cling onto that small hope... than loose him forever..._

"One Week."

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Michaelangelo tossed and turned in bed a few nights later. Meditating... had been a complete failure. He'd managed to bring himself to sit still for almost 2 hours... But there had been nothing. Leo had opened his eyes and there was still nothing in them.

He had three days to convince Donnatello and Raphael and Leonardo that packing Leo off to some foreign country wasn't going to solve their problems.

_Don't any of them understand? Leo leaving before... It just drove a wedge between us all... If he leaves now- he won't come back. Not because Raphael won't let him. Because he won't see the point. He doesn't care about us anymore... I can't- I __**won't**__ loose him._

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Michaelangelo jerked awake, he had been dreaming again... if you could call it dreaming.

Nightmares.

During the day, he tried not to imagine _what_ had happened to his oldest brother, but at nighttime, when he closed his eyes- his imagination ran riot with him.

He turned over, but knew he wouldn't get back to sleep- not without... without... Leo.

Michaelangelo turned over again. _Leo won't help me this time... He can't..._ Michaelangelo tossed and turned for a few more minutes, but, determination crept through his fear- he was sick of so many sleepless nights- and maybe... maybe this would help... both of them.

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Michaelangelo faltered in Leo's bedroom doorway. Helpless- his bravado wore out somewhere in the hall, but he'd made his way to the door, driven solely by his fear caused by the nightmares

"Mikey...?" Leo's sleepy voice came from the dark bedroom- and he sounded- so-so-...

_So Leo-like_.

Michaelangelo burst into tears and ran into the room. Leo sighed something and shifted over. Michaelangelo curled up against his oldest brother.

"Leo?" Michaelangelo whispered.

"Hm...?" Leo muttered, putting an arm around him. "D'ya have 'nother nightmare?"

"Kind of..." Michaelangelo gasped, voice muffled by Leo's plastron.

"What... what was it about?" Leo asked, shifting into a more comfortable position.

Michaelangelo cried harder. "You."

"Me?"

"You..." _I wish it was just a horrible nightmare... Please- god- just let it have been a nightmare! _ "I'm sorry, Leo."

"What for?" Leo muttered, sinking back into sleep.

"Letting you get hurt."

"It's OK, Mikey... It's not... not your fault." Leo yawned, then shivered as his body started to wake up. Michaelangelo hugged him closer. _No- don't wake up! please... I need you... I need you so much..._

"I love you, Leo."

"Love you too, Mikey." Leo sighed, and his breathign steadied again.

Michaelangelo lay still, for what felt like hours, but what was probably only a matter of minutes, hugging his oldest brother tight enough to crush the life out of him. Just listening to his heart beating.

"Leo?" Michaelangelo asked weakly, voice sounding strange- child-like.

"Mh?"

"Are you coming back? You're not... you're not gonna leave us, are you?" Michaelangelo whispered, looking at his oldest brothers face.

Leo frowned a little in his sleep. "I'd never leave you, Mikey."

"You did- you have."

"Then I'll come back." Leo smiled a little.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Then I'll wait for you." Mikey smiled, joy crushing his chest.

"Promise?" Leo asked, that half-smile still on his face.

"I promise." Michaelangelo held his brother even tigher.

But Leo didn't mind.

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	3. Promises and Wishing on a Star

**A/N **wow! this is awesome! thanks so much for the reviews and the interest! you guys have made my day- nah! My week! I've been on a little bit of a downer, and this has totally lifted me straight back up!!

you guys are awesome! yay... I'm so happy! I'm not too confident with my writing skills, or my ability to keep 'em in charater, but the interest that there has been has shown me I must be doin' sumthing a little right!!

Sadly, this is were it all starts to fall apart... it was meant to be a oneshot, because I didn't know - don't know, how to bring Leo back from the funk he's in, right now... and I still don't know what happened to him while he was kidnapped... sorry, that's probably not very reassuring! But please- read on! And I'm not sure how good this chapter is... eh, sorry, but I like it, as much as possible. I decided that you can't keep Leo down, and I had to bring him back, so, I hope it's ok!

**(Oh, and sadly, I don't own the turtles. sniff)**

**Chapter Three - Promises and Wishing on a Star**

Donnatello looked at Mikey sadly. _Times up, bro. It's been a week._ And shell, what a long week it hads been. Donnatello did not want Leo to leave again, didn't know if he could handle it, if any of them could handle it- but, watching Leo and Mikey that week had been horrible, painful.

Because, despite how foolish Donnatello knew it was to hope, he couldn't help it. Couldn't help himself. It was all he could do now. Hope and pray, but that would not be enough.

Not this time.

Leo wasn't bouncing back from this- _shell, we could help! If we just knew what happened!_ Donnatello cursed Leo's silence.

"Mikey..." Donnatello sighed. Michaelangelo staggered into the room- now days, Michaelangelo always seemed tired, he never really bounced around or laughed or smilled or joked. That, among many things, was killing Donnatello. "Nightmares?" Donnatello offered- he wouldn't be able to help, only Leo could help. Donnatello didn't know _how_.

_Well, that just seems to be the problem with you, don't it, Donny? You can fix computers, machines, you can fix bodies too, but you __**can't**__ fix what's inside of 'em. You can't fix Leo. You can't fix us._

_We're broken._

"Mmmh." Michaelangelo slurred.

"Wanna talk about it?"

Michaelangelo did a double take, scowling. "I think I already did."

"With Raph?"

"No- with Leo!" Michaelangelo gaped. _Yeah... I can definitly remember... waking up from a nigthmare, then going through- and talking to him for a few minutes... before falling asleep... But... _Michaelangelo frowned- he had woken up in his own bed.

"With Leo?" Donnatello repeated.

"Yeah!" Michaelangelo smiled, some of his old energy returning. "You're not still gonna pack Leo off, are you?" He asked, pausing before running off somewhere.

"I... don't know, Mikey."

"You can't split us up, Donny. Please." Michaelangelo said instantly. Donnatello looked away.

_I've got to do whats best for Leo- and them... us... But I don't know what's best! Leo would know- Leo __**always**__ knew what to do..._

"I don't know what else to do." Donnatello sighed, at a loss- a complete loss. He didn't know where to go from here, or how to get back to what they used to be- shell, even if he knew what to do, or where to go, it didn't matter. He couldn't even start anymore.

"Wait for him!" Michaelangelo shouted over his shoulder, beginning his search for his oldest brother.

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"What's with Mikey?" Raphael asked, sounding as if he couldn't care less.

"Raph, if anyone of us got through to Leo right now, who do you think it would be? You? Me? Or Mikey?" Donnatello asked flatly. Raphael frowned.

"What the shell does that mean?" Raphael snapped.

_Shell, I could just kill him. How does- __**did- **__Leo ever cope with Raphael? _Donnatello was at a complete loss.

He was just about to shout and scream at Raphael, get rid of some of the tension building up inside of him- then he realised.

_Raph's hurting too._

"Raph." Donnatello sighed, feeling bad. _Great. I'm such a jerk._ "It sounds like... like Mikey _might_... have managed to get through to Leo- just a little bit."

Raphael stared hard at him. "Is it enough?"

"Little bit, by little bit, small, painful step by small, painful step, it _will_ be enough. We'll get him back. I promise."

Raphael stared Donnatello.

_We'll get him back. I promise._

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Don." Raphael growled and walked away.

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"How ya doing?" Michaelangelo asked, feeling like old times, when he would try and bug Leo enough to get him to stop training. Leo merely cut him one look, before resuming his exercises.

Michaelangelo walked around him in a big circle, backwards. "So, what I wanted to say was... thanks. For you know... getting me through my nightmare."

_Now, just get me through this one._

Leo frowned at Michaelangelo- who grinned wildly back. "Yeah, I remember. Guess that's why you put me in my own bed, huh?"

Leo looked away.

"'member what you promised me?"

Leo stopped.

Michaelangelo stepped a little closer. "You promised you'd come back, and I promised to wait for you."

Leo lowered his ninjaken's slowly, looking at Michaelangelo with- a look that Mikey couldn't place, but it was so familiar. Then, it clicked.

_That's the look in his eyes that he gets- when we get hurt! When he feels like he nearly lost us- he looks at us like that!_

Michaelangelo could have whooped for joy. But didn't. "You never break your promises, right?"

Leo's eyes fell to the ground. "Right." He nodded slowly.

Michaelangelo wanted to laugh- but cry too.

"I'll wait for you! Raph and Donny- they'll wait too!" Michaelangelo paused.

"We won't leave you behind, Leo."

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Raphael sighed heavily. "Can't see the stars..." He muttered, then mocked himself for a few minutes.

_What good is wishing on a star gonna do me- us, anyway? Damn, I ain't never tried something so stupid._

"I wish..." Raphael said aloud, and nearily died of embarrassment. _When the __**shell**__ did I get so pathetic?_

"What are you doing here? It's dangerous. The Foot are still around."

"Back off D-..." Raphael trailed off. "Leo?"

"And what would happen if 20 Foot attacked you now? They'd wipe the floor with your shell." Leo sighed, walking over silently.

"Leo?" Raphael gaped. _Wishing... on a star?_ He shook his head. _Suck it up, Raph! Wishing ain't done anyone any good- ever!_

Leo sat beside Raphael. "I'm trying, Raph." He muttered weakly. "But this time... I don't know if my best efforts are ever going to be good enough."

Raphael stared hard at his older brother, but didn't say a word. Leo wanted to talk this time. Truth was, Raphael didn't know if he had anymore to say.

"I feel like... you three are- somewhere, just beyond my reach... And even though you're still reaching back for me..." Leo looked at his hands. "We're so far apart now. And it's my fault."

Raphael smiled. _All your fault?_ Don't that sound familiar.

"You need to find some way to help Donny. I can't. If I try and save him now... I'll just... I'll fall even further. So, you have to."

"What?"

"What's hurting you, and killing Mikey- it's... destroying Donny. He's the only thing keeping you guys going right now." Leo sighed.

_Nah, you're wrong, bro. The only thing keeping us going right now, is the memory of who you used to be... And the hope that you'll come back to us._

Leo sat back and stretched, a little groan of pain escaping him when he stretched his left arm. He rubbed the shoulder lightly. "I'm tryin' Raph. But I'm failing."

"Why?"

"I'm... I'm scared." Leo said finally.

"Scared? Of _what_?!"

"You. And Mikey... And Donny." Leo said honestly. "Even though... I know, it wasn't really... really you guys... I can't help but be so scared... that you'll... hurt me like you did."

Raphael scowled at his older brother. "Damnit, Leo! I'd fight away all yer fears!" Raphael snarled. "You've held our hand through some horrible things- and we'd hold yours, if only you..."

Leo looked away.

"Shell, Leo." Raphael cursed. _We're trapped by our hopes and memories of him... how we used to be. _

"I'm torn between the life I used to lead... and... what I've become." Leo muttered. "I promised... Promised Mikey I'd come back. But I don't know... I don't know if I can."

Raphael searched the sky.

It was stupid, it was childish.

But he wanted a star to wish on.

Because it was the only thing left for him to do.

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"Raph!" Leo shouted, knocking him down- drawing his ninjaken's. A shuriken shot over Raphael's head. "You see?! Look- damnit Raph, _this_ is why you can't go off alone!" Leo chastised him, pulling him up.

"Bro, stop ripping the shit outta me, stop being such a..." Raphael smiled. "On second thoughts, rip away." Leo scowled at him.

They faced the group of Foot Ninja.

Their leader recoiled when he saw Leonardo. "You." He snarled silently.

"We fight?" Raphael asked softly.

Leo cut a look to him. Then nodded. Raphael smiled. Just what he'd been hoping for. Some way to get rid of the anger.

"You shouldn't--!" The ninja that had spoken before began- but Leo leapt forward, with the speed that Raphael secretly admired- and, easy as he breathed, struck the ninja down.

Before the ninja's body struck the ground- the fight had truly started.

Raphael snarled something inarticulate, round-house kicking one ninja, then turned and stabbed another with a sai. He didn't wait to watch them fall. There were too many for that.

_Maybe... maybe there's too many for just me and Leo..._ Raphael cut a look to Leo- who was just a blur of flashing blades and blue and green.

Raphael allowed an angry smile to blossom on his face. He turned back to the group of ninja. _Easy... too easy_. Raphael smirked. The number of ninja had seriously deminished when- a man appeared, striking Raphael hard in the chest. Raphael cried out and staggered back.

The man moved with... _shell! He moves faster 'an Leo does!_ Raphael thought- before he was on the ground, sai's knocked out of his hands. The man smiled. "What the shell are you?" Raphael demanded angrily.

"That... is of _no concern._"

"Oh, it kind of is, actually." Raphael replied flatly.

"The knowledge will do you no good. You will be dead before-" The man raised his katana- _where in shell did __**that**__ come from?!_ Raphael had time to wonder dully- before the blade came swooping down.

"LEO!" Raphael bellowed, throwing his hands up to his face.

Leo knocked the man backwards, feet first. He propelled off the mans chest, backflipping, and landing beside Raphael.

He offered a hand to his brother. "We ain't got time for you to just laze about, Raph." Leo said mildly.

"Ha ha." Raphael muttered, and allowed his brother to pull him up.

"Sorry I took so long." Leo said. "I was getting these." He offered Raphael his sai's.

"It's good." Raphael smiled, staring hard at his older brother.

"What is?" Leo questioned.

"Be-!" Raphael had time to shout, before the man lunged forward. Leo spun, knocking Raphael down with his left arm, and dropping to the ground himself. The man shot over them, landed smoothly, and turned, ready.

Leo came up to his feet just as smoothly, drawing his second ninjaken. "Who the shell are you?"

The man laughed. "You don't remember me?" He smiled, eyes glowering.

Raphael stared at his brother, then at the man before them. "Leo-" He began, he didn't like the look in the man's eyes.

But before he could continue, the man, vanished. Just pure- vanished. Disappeared. _Kind of like... the Elite._ Raphael thought numbly.

Leo looked back at Raphael, then at the fallen bodies of the ninja. He sheathed his ninjakens.

"Lets get home, before anymore get here." Leo said softly.

Raphael nodded, replaced his sai's, then followed his brother as they leapt over the buildings, heading for home.

_I promised... promised Mikey I'd come back... But I don't know... I don't know if I can..._

Raphael smiled.

_Don't think ya have ta worry bout that anymore, bro._

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One last thing I'd like to say, if ANYONE has any ideas about what happend to Leo, while he was kidnapped, I would appreiated him. The man (ooohh, mystery) has something to do with it, I think... (Ladies and gents, this is why you should always have an outline, or a plan, something! lol) and whatever happened to Leo, was done by his supposed brothers. A.KA. people, or things that are made to look like him... mwahahaha!

confused?

me too!

I really hope you enjoyed it- and thanks again for the interest! woot, I'm so happy! oh... and another apology... I don't like fght scenes, dunno how to right them. So what happens will be sketchy at best, I'm trying to learn, trying to get ot grips with it. any suggestions would be great!!

woot... party!


	4. One Step Forward, One Step Back

**A/N **first off, sadly, I don't own the turtles... sadly...

Secondly- thanks so much for the reviews! You guys a freakin' awesome! I love it! thanks so much, you guys have like totally boosted my confidence.

I owe a great deal of thanks to **Kyaserin Marii**, for their suggestion of the mind manipulation- thanks so much! You've been a great help, and I decided to go with your idea.

lastly... I'd like to apologise for this next chapter... I'm already running low on ideas and juice. I think the first few chapters where pretty good, and this one... well, this chapter kind of reminds me why I stopped writing!

I hope you stick through it though, because it will get better from this chapter! (I hope...)

I tried to write a fighting scene, but it's not very clear... and I don't really know how to write fighting scenes- so any suggestions would be great too!! I hope you enjoy...

(Warning: the start is a bit... mushy, I suppose. I was listening to a nice song when I wrote it, so it's not my fault! Blame the music! lol)

**Chapter Four - One Step forward, One Step back**

**Two weeks later**

It hadn't been easy for them- for _any_ of them. But they had their brother back. Their leader. Leo. Donnatello smiled, staring at his computer screen. It had been hours since he'd done any real work, he was too happy.

_I think... This is the closest we've ever come to loosing him. I know he's nearly died countless times because of physical injuries... But... we nearly..._

Slowly, bit by bit, they had put all their pieces back together, fitting in again. A few days ago, they had almost gotten completely back into their normal schedule.

Of course, that didn't mean things were all great and fine and good again. Leo still had a long way to go before... before he was really normal again. But then, so did Raphael.

Donnatello grinned wider at the change in his hot-headed older brother. He rarely challenged Leo anymore, sure, he still got angry, still fought, still shouted at them, he wouldn't be Raphael if he didn't. But... he appreciated them all more. Not by going around dishing out hugs and being mushy, but... he smiled a little more. Got angry a little less.

Donnatello moved stiffly. Wondering how his brothers were doing. It was the first night in two weeks that Leo hadn't been down to check on him. Donnatello understood that he'd been spending some nights with Michaelangelo, and training, or working out with Raphael in the early hours of the morning when neither could sleep.

Donnatello stretched. Thinking about Michaelangelo- if you saw Leo, you were almost garunteed to see Mikey close behind. It had taken Mikey three days to leave Leo alone. Infact, it had been when Leo went to take a shower, and Michaelangelo whined, that Leo finally drew the line.

_Mikey, it's not that I don't... appreciate you, but it's kind of hard to shower with your lil' bro hanging onto your leg._

Donnatello laughed aloud. _Yeah. Mikey still can't bare to be apart from him for too long._ Sitting next to Leo on the sofa, at the table, standing close to him, running next to him, when he would usually be off leaping and bounding, showing off, even fighting right next to him.

Donnatello stood, thinking about Leo... He moved to the stairs, finding his way to Leo's room.

_I'm just... just gonna check he's there. I know he will be... but... still._ Donnatello told himself silently.

But he stopped, the door half open under his arm. Michaelangelo had appeared, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Donnatello looked at him, then smiled.

They both turned, seeing Raphael walk over. Raphael frowned at them. Donnatello frowned back.

"What're ya doin'?" Raphael whispered.

"Uh... nightmare." Michaelangelo said quietly. _Yeah, right Mikey._ Donnatello thought mildly, but smiled. "You?"

"Checking on him... y'know..." Donnatello said weakly. It was Mikey's turn to smile. "Raph?"

"Uh... well... ya see..." Raphael trailed off.

For a long moment, they stared at eachother.

_So, this is what happens when there isn't enough Leo to go around._ Donnatello smiled and opened the door.

Leo cried out- in the fits of a nightmare.

Michaelangelo vanished, then appeared once more with a pillow, dragging his blanket on the ground behind him. He cut Donnatello a sheepish look, then curled up beside Leo.

Donnatello turned to Raphael who shrugged. Donnatello went in, and got in beside Michaelangelo, sharing his pillow and blanket.

For a long time, Raphael stared down at them.

_I came so close to loosing all of them..._ Raphael sighed, looking at Leo. _You're the glue, bro. The glue that holds our pieces together._

Leo muttered something, and shifted back on his futon, lifting the blanket for Raphael. Raphael scowled for a moment, then looked at his other brothers.

They were all alseep.

_I'll... I'll just wake up before 'em. They don't needa know._ Raphael thought mildly, then slipped in beside Leo.

Leo opened his eyes a little, surrounded by his brothers. He smiled.

_I need a bigger bed..._

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The trouble always seemed to start just before they went home. And the problem always seemed to be with the patrols that went without a hitch until the last stretch 'til home.

"Foot." Leo warned- before they were surrounded by dozens of Foot Ninja's. Weapons were drawn- metal shone in the street-lights, and eyes glinted like daggers in an alley.

The Foot didn't attack.

That worried Leo as much as anything could have. They were waiting for someone- or something. Leo's eyes scanned the building, a sense of impending doom growing up from the pit of his stomach.

"Leo?" Michaelangelo asked weakly- feeling it too.

"Don't worry Mikey. The odds are in our favor." Raphael grinned.

Leo frowned. "First chance you get- run." He said very quietly.

"You what?" Raphael gaped. Then spotted the... man- from two weeks ago.

He appeared, standing right infront of Leo. No weapon in sight- no sign of a Katana. _But that don't mean he's unarmed._ Raphael reminded himself flatly, remembering the last time they'd met, and he'd just- seemed to draw the Katana out of thin air.

"Who are you?" Leo demanded flatly. The man smiled, then bowed slowly.

"I am Nakamura Satoshi." The man answered softly.

Leo looked back at his younger brothers- fear cut through him at the man's appearance, but a knowing surged through him at his name. Leo's breath caught in his throat. He struggled to calm his breathing- to work out _why_ he was so... scared wasn't the word- but terrified didn't cut it, either...

"I see some part of you _does_ remember me." Satoshi said, in a tone that implied he had paid Leo a compliment.

"What do you want?" Raphael snarled, stepping infront of Leo, between him and Satoshi.

"What do I want?" Satoshi mimicked. "Leonardo."

"You want... Leo?" Michaelangelo interupted. "That's... creepy." He mocked.

"Don't, Mike." Leo whispered, tone verging on desperate.

"Yes, Leo. You are correct to fear me. What do I want, you ask?" Satoshi repeated, he paused a moment, eyes finding Leonardo's.

Leo tried to look away- but couldn't. He was caught, like a rabbit trapped in the headlights of an oncoming car. He knew he would die unless he ran- but was frozen in place by fear.

"Well, Leonardo, I want to break you, in the worst possible way."

Leo had time to register the words that came from Satoshi- but then, the world fell away.

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"What did you do to him?!" Raphael snarled. Donnatello had caught his oldest brother as he took an ungraceful dive for the roof.

Satoshi merely laughed, and drew his katana-

_from- where? Where the __**hell**__ did he draw it from?!_ Raphael demanded himself angrily.

"Now, with Leonardo out of the way for the moment, I'll finish you off." Satoshi said, as if killing the three brothers was a tiresome job he didn't wish to dirty his hands with.

_What are we going to do? There's too many of them to fight, with Satoshi here too. And without Leo... Damnit._ Raphael backed up a little, twirling his sais absently, Donnatello raised his bo staff, and Michaelangelo spun his nun-chuks. "Don't break this position unless you absolutely cannot help it. We have _got_ to keep Satoshi away from Leo." Raphael ordered.

Donnatello cut him a worried look, then looked down at their fallen brother. "I don't think Satoshi is going to hurt him physically. I think... what we really have to worry about, is what Satoshi will do to his mind."

"What the shell does that mean?!" Michaelangelo cried, knocking out a ninja- while Raphael stabbed one sai into a ninja's chest, and gutted another ninja with his other sai. Donnatello felt one ninja's ribs break under the blow from his bo staff.

But, worryingly enough, Satoshi had yet to attack. Donnatello took a chance to look down at Leo.

"It means- Satoshi somehow got into Leo's head- you saw the way he just collapsed!" Donnatello gasped out, knocking a ninja back with a hard kick- sweeping another ninja's legs from under them, then slamming the bo staff down on their throat.

_No time for mercy. We just gotta kill and get Leo out._ Donnatello thought weakly. Knowing the choking, gasping noises coming from the ninja as they died would haunt his nightmares for a long, long time.

The grand total of ninja's had dropped by a half in a matter of seconds, Raphael was fighting like... as if he was possessed. Michaelangelo supposed that Raph was possessed. Possessed by a dire, horrible, aching need to protect Leonardo. Michaelangelo understood, he felt the same growing ache in his chest.

The ache that told him they weren't going to walk away from this OK. _But we just got Leo back! This is so unfair! Why Leo?! Why do they always have to hurt Leo?!_

Raphael turned and looked at him. Really, he wanted Donnatello checking on Leo. But Michaelangelo looked so devastated. _I'm sorry, Mikey. But Donny might have some idea what to do..._ Raphael sent a silent apology to his youngest brother, wishing that he could be the one to drop to his knees beside Leo. But knowing he couldn't.

"Don, we got it from here. Check on Leo." Raphael grunted out- taking a kick to his plastron. He would have staggered back- or leapt for the quickly retreating Ninja, but was unwilling to step on Leo, or leave him unguarded.

_I'll take revenge later._ Raphael thought- and was thoroughly surprised at himself. _Revenge, Later? What's happened to me?_ He realised then that he wasn't angry. At least, he wasn't consumed by his usual rage. The anger and power he felt coursing through his veins now was merely from the need to make sure Leo made it out OK. To make sure they all got out alive.

Donnatello replaced his bo staff behind his back instantly and dropped beside his brother. Donnatello checked his brother over quickly. His body was fine. Infact, for all impressions, Leo was merely sleeping... _Having a nightmare... by the looks of things_.

Donnatello looked up at Satoshi. Who hadn't really moved or spoken since Leo had collapsed.

_You need to concentrate. Or your hold on his mind breaks._ Donnatello grabbed Leo hand tightly.

"Leo? Leo, can you hear me?" Donnatello whispered softly. Leo shook his head- as if he was trying to escape his brothers voice. "Leo, just hold on. Please- we're... we're right here. We're gonna help you. You just need to stick with us."

"How is he, Don?" Raphael demanded, kicking a ninja hard enough to break the man's neck instantly. Donnatello flinched, watching the body of the ninja drop lifelessly.

"Alive." Donnatello replied honestly. He turned his attention back to Leo.

Raphael leapt for the last few ninja's- striking them down quickly, easily. Michaelangelo dropped beside Leo and Donnatello. Raphael returned.

"Well, Don? Satoshi... ain't attacked yet." Raphael frowned.

"I know. Listen, Raph, you gotta be ready to carry Leo. We all have to be ready to run for the Lair, OK?" Donnatello ordered. Raphael and Michaelangelo nodded.

Donnatello sheathed his brothers dropped ninjakens. Raphael knelt and picked Leo up bridal style.

"Ready?" Donnatello asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Michaelangelo muttered. "What are you doing?"

"Distracting Satoshi. So he'll loose his hold on Leo. Then, we run." Donnatello explained softly, then turned to Satoshi.

"Oh, great plan, Donny." Michaelangelo said weakly, but he was almost smiling. "And me without my prodding stick." Michaelangelo made one of his worst attempts at a joke.

Raphael shook his head. "Ready when you are, Don." He said confidently.

Donnatello forced a brave smile. Then turned to Satoshi.

_So... how do I break his attention?_ Donnatello thought mildly, looking around. He picked up one of the Foot ninja's disguarded katana. He tested it in his grip, throwing it and catching it again.

_Leo's the best at throwing swords... He doesn't like too, but he can do it. Raph really has the best throwing aim..._ Donnatello thought flatly.

_You can do it, Donny._ A voice that sounded strangely like Leo's said in Donnatello's mind. Donnatello took a second to frown at his oldest brothers body.

"I hope this works..." Donnatello said weakly, barely a whisper. Michaelangelo jerked, catching his words anyway.

Donnatello threw the katana-

Satoshi's eyes snapped up, knocking the katana off course with his own katana. His violent, smoldering eyes found Donnatello's.

"Donny!" Leo screamed, jerking in Raphaels arms.

_It worked. He's OK._ Donnatello allowed himself a sigh of relief before he turned with his brothers and they ran.

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Satoshi smiled. He was happy to let them run away. He had time. Leo still had fight left in him, and Satoshi would rather draw the process out, to cause them all as much pain as possible before striking the killing blow.

"You are going to loose it all, Leonardo. That, I promise you."

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I hope this chapter didnt completely kill you or force you to claw your own eyes out- and I'm sorry for the typos and spelling mistakes, I didn't proof read it... ahhh!

I also hope it didn't put you off the story, cos you guys have really boosted my confidence already!!


	5. Omens in the Dark

**A/N** (still dont own the turtles...) ok, so, this has been the HARDEST chapter to write, so far, which is why it's so short. I've been updating every few hours, but, I get the horrible sense of impending doom. yep, thats right. writers block. i's getting harder nd harder for me to write. BUT, one reason might be that I have finaly- (victory dance) decided what happened to Leo before his brothers rescued him! woot! now... all I have to do is write it down... anti-woot... word of warning, there will be TWO versions of what happened to Leo, the real, and the illusion. I am not telling you which is which, but it's gonna be pretty obvious. I have lso worked out WHO Satoshi is, why he wants to hurt Leo- and how I think I'm gonna end it.

There won't be any character death, I think... I'll have to have an alternate ending where there is tho, cos I sure do hate happy endings.

with that, I have one final thing to say

poof

**Chapter Five - Omens in the Dark**

Leo had recovered quickly, and made his way home on foot with his brothers. Donnatello was quick to put the Lair on complete lockdown. Though they all knew Satoshi had not followed them, and that if Satoshi wanted to get in, Donny's hi-tech defences would not stop him.

"After all, he could just poof himself in." Michaelangelo muttered, mildly hysterical.

"Don't worry, Mike." Leo said gently. "It'll be OK."

"No! It won't, bro! How can you say that?! Satoshi just- he totally destroyed you a few months ago, and got into your head again tonight! Dude- you're wide open! He can get to you as easy as he can poof." Michaelangelo shouted. "poof." He repeated, miming what _might_ have been a poofing with his hands, or what might have been a minor explosion. "poof." He repeated.

Leo bit his lip and stared at Donnatello, who shrugged. "Mike, Mikey, Michaelangelo!" Leo shouted.

"Leonardo?" Michaelangelo repeated, fixing terrified, wild eyes on his oldest brother. Leo took a deep, sighing breath, then hugged Mikey.

"It's OK, Mikey. He didn't hurt me, not this time." Leo smiled, Michaelangelo quickly dissolved into helpless sobs.

Raphael folded his arms and looked away.

"Shh, Mikey. I'm OK this time. See? Look, look at me, I'm fine." Leo smiled, pushing Michaelangelo to arms-lenght.

"How do I know? You've lied 'bout stuff before." Michaelangelo whispered.

"Would it help if I told you why he didn't hurt me this time? He tried to, but he didn't manage it." Leo soothed, pulling Mikey into a hug again. Michaelangelo nodded mutely, hiding his face between Leo's neck and shoulder. Leo smiled. "You guys. I could... sense you, near me. Fighting around me... And... Donny, took my hand- and I knew I'd be OK, because Satoshi couldn't hurt me anymore. I wouldn't let him."

"Why?" Michaelangelo asked.

"Because I wasn't gonna let him take me from you guys again." Leo answered honestly. "For a second, I panicked. But, once I concentrated, even though I couldn't get out of the nightmare, I knew it was just an illusion."

Raphael scoffed in the background, Leo cut him a dangerous look. Michaelangelo sniffed, then pulled away.

"You won't... won't let him take you away again, will you?"

"Not a chance." Leo said faithfully. "Now, we're all going to bed. Satoshi isn't going to give up on this, and tomorrow night, I want to find out what the _shell_ he wants with me and my family."

Raphael hid a smile. "Oh yeah, Fearless. You're back. Orderin' us arou-"

"Raph." Leo warned. Michaelangelo grinned and hugged Leo again. "We're up early tomorrow, for training. We need to be prepared for the next time we face Satoshi."

Donnatello grinned, he watched Raphael shake his head, but his eyes betrayed him. His eyes danced. _He's just as happy to have Leo back as me and Mikey._

"Can you... tell us what happened to you?" Michaelangelo asked softly, breaching the subject as gently as possible.

Leo frowned at the ground for a long moment. "I'm ready to, I think. And I know you all have a right to know. But, not tonight, Mikey, OK? I've still... got to work it out, myself. Before I even try and explain it."

Michaelangelo nodded grimly. Wondering if his excuse of understand was true- or if he just didn't want to give them nightmares. "Can I bunk with you?"

Leo laughed. "Only if you don't breathe on me."

Michaelangelo cried out in indignation and shoved his oldest brother playfully. "Second thought, I don't wanna -your feet smell."

"Fine with me, Mikey. Sleep tight." Leo laughed, walking away. "Don't let the bed bugs bi-"

"Wait!" Michaelangelo ran after him quickly.

Donnatello stared at Raphael, they stood in silence for a while. "You alright, Raph?" Donnatello asked softly, walking over. Raphael sighed.

"I was thinking, tonight." Raphael paused. "I'm not sure I wanna know what happened to him. I'm not sure Mikey should know either."

Donnatello thought on it for a few minutes. "Maybe. But, Raph, we have a right to know. I want to know, because I want to help, I want to try and make him better. And I want to know just how much we should hurt Satoshi before we kill him."

Raphael stared at his younger brother, surprised by his anger. "Now that, Don, I can agree with."

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Satoshi paced restlessly. He knew Leonardo was planning something- could _sense_ it, could feel it in his bones. It made him sick.

_Don't worry, Leonardo. I'm coming for you. _

Satoshi stopped pacing, and looked out over the darkening city. "Not tonight." He said softly, fingers trailing on the window pane. "You search for me tonight."

_You won't find me, Leonardo._

"But, I think, you _do_ need to be reminded, whom is hunting whom." Satoshi laughed.

Silent, dark figures leapt across the buildings, vanishing into the night, all of them, in search of Four.

"The game hasn't even started yet, Leonardo. This is just the beginning for me." A cruel, twisted smile that was more a snarl surfaced on Satoshi's features. "But for you, it is the end of all hope."

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"Damnit. Where the _shell_ are all the Foot Ninja's?! We shouldda at least seen one 'o them by now!" Raphael cursed angrily.

Leo stopped running. After a second, his brothers topped and looked at him, frowning.

"Where are they?" Leo asked, repeating Raphael's question. "You're right Raph. Surely, Satoshi... would have sent them out, looking for us." Michaelangelo shuffled from foot to foot nervously, while his older brothers stood in collective silence. "I don't like it." Leo muttered.

"So, what? We just gonna give up and go home?" Raphael demanded.

"They must be planning some kind of trap, or something." Leo sighed. "But- they could be waiting for us in the sewers." Leo looked around the dark buildings, as if they would offer an answer of some sort.

"It hasn't felt right, all night. It's quiet." Donnatello muttered.

"Too quiet." Michaelangelo replied eerily. "Dudes, I think we should high-tale it outta here. You're right, it doesn't feel right. I feel kind of sick, like maybe... maybe we won't make it home."

Leo stared hard at Michaelangelo. He hadn't mentioned it, because he hadn't wanted to worry them, but he had felt the same. The horrible sense that someone wasn't coming home with them tonight had been nagging at him all day.

"Whatever." Raphael sighed, knowing when he'd lost.

They turned to go, Leo leading the way, listening out for any sign of an oncoming attack, watching for any sign of a trap.

_Someone... isn't gonna make it home._

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just a friendly word of warning, its probably gonna get kinda corny from here on out... in my defence, it's late, I've slept about 2 hours over the past 36 hours, so, I am weak. It shall be corny!

So there...

I also hope this chapter wasn't too painful to read. sorry if it was, and I sure hope you're still enjoying it, because your reviews and interest and stuff has totally made all the effort totally worth it!

Oh, another warning; I feel writers block coming on.

so, just because I might be a little bit sadistic, I've left you on a cliff hanger. duh duh duh!

Hell, I think we all know the next chapter will be up within the next 10 hours or so...

or maybe not.

I've just got a txt message from one of me old friends... a bit of a twat he is, I must say, he's been hassling me for weeks! so I may have to go and kill this friend.

but once I've hidden the body, I'll be sure to update!

poof


	6. Breaking Leo

**A/N **nope, don't own the turtles...

ok, now, this chapter definitly isn't up to scratch, chances are, I'll re-write it later on. The problem is, my mind is currently on my stupid friend who's now not speaking to me... bleh! so I tried to get my mind off of it by writing up the next chapter, unfortuntely, my attention was divided.

Also, I've slept about 2 hours in- nearly 2 days... so, I'm either gonna go crazy, like snap or something... or fall asleep at the laptop...

warning; there will be a few typos, probably more than usual, same goes for spelling. because, well, it's really cold in the living room and my hands are jumping all over the place... lol.

So, the reason I've said what happened to Leo now is because, duh duh duh- i don't know what's gonna happen to leo and the others next in present time.

hopefully, some sleep will rejuvinate me! (can't spell... ahhh!)

So, good luck- and I hope you're still enjoying it...

**Chapter 6 - Breaking Leo**

_"No! Don- it's me... Please- Donny!" Leo screamed. "Donny-!"_

_His cries of protest and disbeleif were cut off when Donnatello, using both his fist and the tip of his bo staff, punched Leo in the plastron- knocing all the breath from him. "Don-" Leo gasped. "Donny... please- its-"_

_"I know it's you Fearless!" Donnatello snarled, kicking Leo- heel of his foot catching Leo's cheek._

_Leo's knees gave- hours, and hours- of physical torture... and he wanted to die. But- the physical pain was nothing... not compared to what... what his __**brothers**__ were saying._

_"Why are you doing this?!" Leo gasped, head spinning, fighting the desire to either vomit or pass out. Last time he passed out... his awakening... had not been pleasant._

_"Why?" Donnatello laughed wildly. Voice full of venom and anger. "Because I hate you."_

_Leo's face twisted. "No... you don't, Donny... please... don't say that... you... you don't hate me."_

_"Really? And what would you know of it, Fearless?" Donnatello spat, every word hitting Leo like a physical blow. "You're too wrapped up in training and meditating to know! You failed us Leo! You ignored me- you didn't save me!"_

_"Donny please!" Leo begged painfully. God, he wanted to cry._

_"You're so pathetic, you make me sick." Donnatello snarled, jerking the tails of Leo's bandana back roughly- Leo felt something in his neck give in pain- and he knew, if Donnatello had pulled any sharper or any harder- that would have been it. His neck would have snapped._

_"I hate you. I always have. You think you're so perfect, so amazing- so brilliant! Look at you now- you're pathetic! Weak- useless." Donnatello continued angrily._

_Leo closed his eyes helpessly, letting the physical pain over whelm him- at least then... he couldn't hear his younger brothers words._

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Leo ran- he ran and ran and ran- and his legs were going to give and his lungs where about to explode and his head was spinning and he couldn't focus- but he couldn't stop- he had to keep running had to-_

_"LEO!"_

Mikey._ Leo stopped suddenly, and his legs caved under him. He fell into a weak, tired and cold heap on the ground, landing badly on his cracked- not broken, he wouldn't have been able to run if they were broken - ribs. Leo swallowed hard. _

_It's a trap. It's gotta be a trap. Leo repeated over and over- too weak, too scared to move anymore._

But... I... I _killed_... I killed Donny... what... I can't.. I can't let M-

_"LEO! HE-" Michaelangelo's scream was cut off an instant later._

_Leo buried his head in his hands. _Oh god. I _killed Donny._ _**I killed Donny- **__what the shell is wrong with me? What... what kind of __**monster**__ am I?!_

_"LEO-"_ _Michaelangelo screamed again, this time, desperate, thick with tears._

"Oh, god." _Leo forced himself to his feet, almost too exhausted to breathe, let alone move._

_One foot infront of the other. Just like that. Come on. One foot in front of the other. You can do it- you __**have**__ to!_

_Leo stumbled blindly into the clearing, he fell again, sight blurred with tears. He looked up, spotting Michaelangelo huddled in the centre._

_"M-mikey?" Leo whispered, voice breaking._

_"Leo?!" Michaelangelo cried, and tried to move to him, but cried out in pain. "Leo- Help me!"_

_Leo could barely walk- he made it over to his youngest brother at a half crawl- half lurching walk. He fell beside his brother._

_"Mikey... what... what happened to you?" Leo whispered, almost too tired to speak now. He noticed dully that there was no one in the clearing but himself and Michaelangelo. The next thing he noticed, with a horrible, sinking feeling- was that slowly, bit by bit, his vision was going darker, he was finding it harder and harder to hold onto reality._

_**Am... am I... dying?**_

_"Leo?!" Michaelangelo cried fearfully. "No! Don't leave me Leo! Please- I need you!" Michaelangelo begged._

_"M..." Leo began, voice slurred, barely audiable._

_He heard, rather than saw- footsteps approaching on the grass. coming closer._

_Michaelangelo screamed in fear, and Leo tried to force his numb, useless limbs into action- but his body refused to obey him._

_Donny was __**right**__... I am... a failure..._

_"Mikey... I-I'm... sss..." Leo trailed off. "...sor..." He tried again- failed._

_Oh god... it's all my fault._

_**I killed Donny... and now... I'm gonna let 'em kill Mikey too...**_

**Failure.** A voice mocked from somewhere in the shadows.

_"Mikey!" Leo cried out, reaching for his brother- even as- who?... someone- laughed and grabbed his bandana tails, pulling him up like a puppet on strings._

_"Say goodbye to your brother." A voice laughed, different to the other one- but his words cut deep, painful scars into Leo all the same._

_"LEO!" Michaelangelo screamed. "You failed me- how could you...? how... how could you?"_

_Michaelangelo's dying body was dropped beside Leo._

_Leo tried to move away- something, anything- he could feel Mikey's warm blood pouring... _

_Leo shuddered, a silent scream running through his body- but not a sound escaped him._

_He was choking on his own pain._

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_Leo jerked awake- he could feel Mikey..._

_"Oh god- Mikey!" Leo screamed._

_Mikey's blood had dried all down his right side and arm. Leo forced his aching eyes open. He was back where he had first woken up... where- where... where he had... killed... Donnatello._

_Silent tears began to fall down Leo's bloody and brusied face._

_"Well, well, Fearless. Ain't you a pathetic sight?!" Raphael growled, striding over. Leo forced his eyes to focus on his hot-headed younger brother._

_"...Raph?" Leo whispered, pain- it hurt to speak... his voice was raw, hoarse. As if he had been screaming a lot. _

_"You... you let him die, Leo! You failed him- how could you?! How could you __**fail**__ Mikey?! How could you let him die?!" Raphael bellowed, dropping an orange bandanna mask on the ground, just at Leo's feet. "I hope you're happy, Leo. You've completely destroyed this family!"_

_"R...raph-" Leo began weakly, all the fight left his body, and he hung limpy by his arms, his eyes never left the orange bandanna. He closed his eyes against the tears._

_"And to top thigns off- Donny?! How could you- how could you __**kill**__Donny?! He was your brother! Would you kill me?!"_

_Leo shook his head, more in denial than in answer to Raphael's question. Suddenly, a purple bandanna joined the orange one at his feet._

_"You're... I can't even bare to look at you anymore Leo- you... you _disgust_ me." Raphael snarled._

_A dry, angry, helpless sob escaped Leo as he stared at the bandanna's at his feet._

_**It's... it's all my fault... I... failed them...**_

_"Well, thanks a lot, Leo. You've finally done it now. You've totally __**destroyed**__ this family! Are you happy now?! Or do I have to die too?!"_

_"No... Raph- please--!" Leo choked out between sobs._

_**Oh god-- come back... please- come back! I'm sorry- what do I have to do- I'll do **_anything_**- just please... please come back! Don't- don't leave me alone...**_

_"You weren't strong enough. You failed them, you failed me. You failed Master Splinter. You defiled his memory. You don't __**deserve **__to die." Raphael said very slowly, very carefully, voice full of barely controlled hatred and disgust and rage._

_**I can't... I can't hold on... please... just... kill me- hit me- knock me out- anything! **_Please-... someone...

_Raphael growled in rage. "__**I hate you!**__" He screamed, slamming his fist into Leo's face, putting all his weight behind it. Leo's head snapped back, arms pulling on the ropes- fresh blood started to pour from the rope blisters around his wrists._

_Blood welled up in Leo's mouth- but he only had a second to realise it, before the world went dark._

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_Raphael reached for Leo- who cried out and tried to twist away- pulling even tighter on the ropes, a groan of pain escaped him at the movement, and after a second, he hung still._

_"Easy bro. I've got you." Raphael said quietly, then, Leo began to cry, soft, silent, tears of pain._

_**Just... let it end... please...**_

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OK, so, the last paragraph is from the first paragraph of the story- woot, aren't I clever?

anyway, I know it's not nearly bad enough to destroy Leo the way it obviously did... but, yep! There SHOULD be more to come... if I can think of anything. I'm not really... I don't know, I just can't think of stuff like that. I mean, this isn't my best effort, but how many times can you say basicaly the same thing? ah, well. movin on!

I do hope you'll forgive me for this chapter... it's pretty horrendous... I know... (hanging my head in shame- or at least, I would be- but my neck musces have locked up) bleh...

he hehee... so, I'm gonna go and sleep, then I'm gonna murder my friend and hide their body somewhere... sadly, we don't have a basement... and our freezer is tiny... I know! Behind the couch! ok.so, after I've had some sleep, killed my friend, hidden the body behind the couch, removed all the evidence- I shall be back!

hopefully, wide eyed and bushy tailed. well, I'm kinda botha those right now. Boy, am I wired. see, it's so hard to write angst when you're bouncing off the walls with energy. hopefully the next chapater... (chapater?) ahem... what I meant was; chapter. Yes. Hopefully, the next CHAPTER will be up sometime this afternoon! I hope you enjoyed it!

oh- and please- Review! they make my day!


	7. Angels Fall First

**A/N **don't own the turtles... (I'm getting sick of that sentance...)

Anyways, I slept! woot... for like... four hours. I'm on melt-down. anyways, one more chapter, I think maybe two, depending on how much I want to include... I was thinking, cos, I like Leo too much to kill him off, that I'd just write a sequel or something. Or, at least, I'm gonna say I'll write a sequel, and things that aren't explained in this one, shall be explained in the second! ha ha...

The reason it's so short is because, hands down, honestly, I'm running out of ideas- and I can feel writers block coming on, or maybe that's just the flu... anyways, I wanna finish it while I can. bla blah blah...

moving on, sorry about this chapter, I hope it's OK. hope ya enjoy! any suggestions would be great!

**Chapter Seven - Angels Fall First**

_Where are the Foot? What the __**shell**__ are they planning?!_ Raphael's eyes searched the buildings carefully. _I don't like this, not one bit._ He thought dryly. He cut a look to Leo, who was just ahead and to the right of him, Mikey was close on Leo's right. _How much more can you take, Leo?_

Suddenly, Leo lurched to a stop, eyes on a building in the distance. "I think we just found our Foot." He said carefully. Raphael searched for the building.

Then spotted it. The rooftop was a few roads away, from this distance, it was impossible to see if they actually _were_ Foot Ninja. But how many normal people would be out in the middle of the night- throwing themselves from rooftop to rooftop.

"What do we do?" Michaelangelo asked quietly.

"There's too many for us to fight." Donnatello added, in the same quiet tone. Raphael stared at Leo, while Leo watched the approaching Foot Ninja.

"I don't like it. I don't like that we spotted them from so far away." Leo paused. "But Don's right. We can't fight that many. We have to run. And hope that nothing worse is waiting for us."

"Jeeze, Fearless, that's inspiring." Raphael muttered. Leo cut him a dark look, then started running again.

"Be prepared for _anything_." Leo warned. _If Satoshi allowed us to see such a massive force of Foot Ninja... it must be... because he has something a lot worse waiting for us._

_I hope we make it through this._

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Minutes from home, with the large amount of Foot Ninja a good few minutes behind them- that things went wrong.

They cleared the alleyway, landing on the building beside the manhole they had planned on using. But that was as far as they got.

The second their feet hit the rooftop of the building- the Elite appeared, weapons drawn, angled perfectly at the turtles necks.

"Leo!" Michaelangelo cried out in alarm. Foot Ninja came out of their hiding places.

"Don't worry, Mikey." Leo said calmly, smiling a small, warm smile. "I'm here, OK. I won't let them hurt you."

_The Elite? But... They're part of Shredders Guard.. I knew Satoshi was working with, or for, Shredder- but... I had no idea... that he had the Elite at his disposal._ Leo thought calmly, he took a deep breath and stared at the Elite who's weapon was resting on the hollow of his neck.

_Someone isn't coming home._ Leo's gut instinct repeated cruelly. _I'll change that. I'll make sure... somehow- that all my brothers get home. I don't care if that means that... that __**I'm**__ the one that doesn't make it home._

"What do we do?" Donnatello asked Leo. _The Elite can move faster than all of us, except maybe Leo- and they have that poofing thing in their favor. poofing thing?_ Donnatello thought dryly. _Thanks a lot Mikey._

"Don't move. We don't know what they've been ordered to do." Leo replied almost instantly. But there was tension in his voice.

_I have to get them out of here._ Leo thought flatly. _But how? There's Four Elite... If I move- the other Elite might... might hurt my brothers._ Leo cut a look to his brothers.

_I'm sorry. It's a... a risk I have to take._

He drew his ninjakens, slicing through the spot where the Elite had been, then threw one- it sliced through empty air, but the Elite at Raphael's throat vanished. Then, Leo threw his last ninjaken, the Elite at Michaelangelo's throat vanished. Leo lunged feet first at the last Elite.

It took less than 3 seconds. So fast Raphael and Mikey and Donny didn't know what had happened until Leo was standing infront of them, weaponless- and the Elite had regrouped behind Leo.

"Leo!" Donnatello yelled out a warning. Leo spun- the Elite vanished once more.

Raphael picked up one of Leo's ninjaken and threw it at him- but before he could catch the hilt of his sword, the Elite had regrouped, surrounding Leo, an Elite grabbed him- and collectively, they vanished. Leo's ninjaken cut through empty air, until bouncing off a thick brick wall. The red neon lights danced off the dropped blade, and it looked like blood.

"NO! Leo-!" Raphael screamed.

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"Where are my brothers, Satoshi? They had better be alive and whole." Leo warned. Satoshi laughed, meeting Leo's enraged glare.

"Are you forgetting who's in control, again Leo? Maybe I should show you who's calling the shots again." Satoshi replied, Leo's gaze didn't falter. Satoshi hid a frown- _he... he doesn't look scared- and his mind... Why can't I..._

His brothers.

"Oh. I understand now. Your brothers are still protecting you." Satoshi smiled coldly. He turned to the Elite. "Kill the turtles." He ordered. The Elite nodded- then vanished. "Somehow, your brothers and you have a connection, and they are protecting you. But, once they are dead, that connection with be severed. And you, shall be wide open to my attacks."

Leo flew at Satoshi, knocking him down. "You hurt them- in anyway... and I'll make you sorry."

Satoshi allowed a cold smile grow on his face. "You are not immune to me as much as you would like to think, Leonardo." Satoshi reached for Leo's arm. But Leo leapt away quickly- wishing he had his ninjakens. Satoshi drew his katana and advanced on Leo. "Just think, if you had let your brothers die, you would be able to kill me now."

Leo stepped back, dodging Satoshi's attack. He slipped behind Satoshi- moving to kick him, but Satoshi managed to dart away.

_He moves too fast for me to fight without a weapon..._ Leo thought dully. _I can't win._ Leo stared hard at Satoshi. _But, I can make sure my brothers make it out OK. This connection has to work both ways._

"It ends here, Leonardo. Tonight."

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"Where is he?!" Raphael snarled- the Elite had appeared, and Raphael charged into them, throwing one back and striking another. Michaelangelo finished the ninja standing infront of him, then leapt for an Elite.

Donnatello turned to the last Elite, but waited for his enemy to come to him- he didn't have to wait long. The Elite leapt at him, weapon arching through the air. Donnatello blocked the attack- easily. _How... how is it that easy? Last time we fought the Elite, they completely wiped the floor with our shells._

Donnatello took a moment to stare at his other brothers. They too- seemed to be moving faster, attacking harder. Just after the Elite had appeared, Donnatello had felt something strange descend over his body, a calm power. _As if... I am in complete control of the situation._ Donnatello shook his head, attacking the Elite relentlessly. _I'm... actually winning._

_How?_ Donnatello demanded himself. _How is this possible?_

Raphael twisted in the air, slashing down with his sai- but the Elite vanished before his blow could connect. Strangely enough, the Elite didn't reappear. _Where'd he go?_ Raphael frowned, attacking the other Elite. _Why is this so easy? I know we've gotten better, but... surely, we're still not good enough to... they must be going easy on us._

_But why? Why would they go easy on us?_ Raphael shook his head, knocking the Elite back- into the wall. The Elite vanished- reappeared behind him. Raphael spun, just as fast as Leo did- and blocked the attack.

_As fast as Leo._ Raphael repeated. _Leo._

Raphael found himself hoping wildly that whatever had boosted their speed and strenght- had nothing to do with Leo. Because Leo... _Leo's going to need all the resources he can get._

Michaelangelo twirled his nun-chuks, back-flipping out of the way of the Elite's attack. _Leo... you feel so close..._ He thought weakly. _Why do you feel so close? _Michaelangelo didn't know how or why, but something had taken over him a few seconds after the Elite reappeared the second time, without Leo.

For a brief second- whatever had taken over the three turtles faltered, and the Elite saw the weakness and leapt into an attack. Michaelangelo dropped to the side, rolling away. _Leo felt so close- but now he's gone!_ _**LEO!**_ Michaelangelo thought wildly, trying to stay clear of the Elite.

The Elite he was fighting vanished- appearing behind him, but- this time, he couldn't move fast enough. The Elite's attack continued down, aiming for Michaelangelo's neck.

Power surged through Michaelangelo, but it wasn't his own. _Leo._ Michaelangelo closed his eyes helplessly. There wasn't time to move- merely a split second that seemed to last forever- _wait..._ _it __**is**__ lasting forever!_ Michaelangelo turned, eyes opening, he stared hard at the Elite that had surely- been about to kill him. His weapon had halted, mere inches from Michaelangelo's neck.

_**I won't let them hurt you, Mikey.**_

"Leo!" Michaelangelo screamed.

_**Hold on, kid.**_

Then- the power faded away, and Michaelangelo felt completely alone. _Leo?_ It just felt empty, where Leo had been. Like there was nothing, after there had been so much.

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Leo gasped, lurching forward. His concentration severed. He had done what he could, but his power was spent, and it was all he could do to avoid Satoshi's attacks- which he was doing less and less of now.

"It is only a matter of time, Leonardo. Before you are dead. Your brothers are occupied. They cannot save you anymore." Satoshi smiled. "Why don't you just give up?"

Leo crouched, watching Satoshi's movements carefully. _I have to end this now- or... or I won't make it home._

But how? Satoshi... I'm weaponless. I can't fight Satoshi- it would have been difficult even _with_ my ninjakens. Impossible without them.

"Once you fall, your brothers will be quick to follow." Satoshi smiled. "You're finished!"

He leapt for Leo- for lurched to his feet to dodge the attack- but his legs failed him, and he nearly fell forward- he caught himself from falling- but

Leo's breath caught in his chest. Satoshi pulled back, blood dripping from his katana. Leo slipped to his knees, holding his side with his right hand, he felt hot, sticky blood pour through his fingers. His left hand hit the ground for balance.

A half-gasp, half groan of pain escaped him. He tried to breathe- failed. It hurt too much. Tried to move- failed, hurt too much.

"Angels fall first, Leonardo."

_Someone... isn't gonna make it home._

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OK, so, just a friendly word, there is NO character death, I like Leo too much. I might have an alternate ending, cos the ending Ive got up is... well, yeah. you'll see!

so, hope you enjoyed it so far, one chapter left- but then... I don't tend to stick to outlines or plots, so there may be a million chapters left... who knows? hopefully, just one or two.

K, well, hope you enjoyed- and please review, it's so awesome when I read 'em. thanks again!


	8. Connections

**A/N** still don't own the turtles!

OK, one more chapter to go. I hope this is ok, not too hard or painful to read.. thanks again for all the reviews! it's great to get some feedback!

I'd really like to thank **Kyaserin Marii **and **BubblyShell22 **cos they've been awesome, so thanks you two for readin' and reviewin! I hopa ya enjoyed!

**Chapter Eight - Connections**

Raphael felt the strength leave him. So, Raphael substituted the strength that had taken over for his own hot, violent anger. With that, the final bit of peace was removed from his body.

"We gotta find Leo!" Michaelangelo cried out suddenly.

"What?" Raphael gaped. Of course, he knew they had to find Leo- but...

Michaelangelo just stared at his older brother. _Raph would never admit it. Never. That's even if he felt it, he's so thick-skulled he probably didn't. _

"Mikey's right." Donnatello said quietly. "I'm worried."

"So- let's finish up here and go get Fearless." Raphael said, tone almost consending, as if he thought they were both over-reacting. But Michaelangelo decided a few seconds later, that Raph did look suitably worried.

Raphael leapt forward to attack the Elite he was fighting- but suddenly, he cried out, right hand going to his left side, his knees buckled and he crashed to the ground.

"Raph!" Donnatello cried out, abandoning his fight with the Elite infront of him, and leaping forward, to stand infront of Raphael, he blocked the Elite Raph _had_ been fighting. "Raph?" He demanded.

"I'm..." Raphael breathed out in a gasp and inspected his left side- already, the pain was fading, he stood up gingerly. "I'm OK..."

"What the _shell_ happened?" Donnatello asked.

"Raph! You OK?" Michaelangelo shouted.

"I don't know... I... I feel OK." He turned to Donnatello, nodded. "It's OK." The pain had faded to a small, dull throb. Donnatello frowned worriedly. He jumped back, to fight the Elite that had poofed to Raphael's side.

_Leo. Ya had better be OK._ Raphael said softly. _That pain... it wasn't mine..._

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"Your bonds with your brothers are still strong. But it won't last much longer, _you_ won't last much longer." Satoshi said vehemently.

Leo smiled.

"Why are you smiling?" Satoshi demanded, anger sparking. "Don't you understand?! You're going to _die!_ I'm going to hurt your brothers so much they'll _wish_ they were dead!"

_The dead truth is... I don't stand a chance._

_I'm not getting through this, not this time._ Leo watched Satoshi patiently. He was possessed by the disinterested courage of one who already knows they are close to death. The strength of one who knows they have nothing left to loose, but everything to fight for.

"Surely- you _must_ know! There is no defeating me! Not now, not ever! You are simply not strong enough." Satoshi snarled, aggravated by the peaceful, confident look on Leo's face.

Leo stood slowly, still holding his left side in his right, he pushed away the pain- ignored the dizziness that clouded his head when he moved. He swayed a bit, left foot moving back a little for more balance.

Satoshi stared at him for a second, judging Leo's expression. Then he laughed. "You still think you can fight and defeat me?"

"I've fought after worse injuries." Leo replied honestly.

"But have you won?"

"I'm not counting the battles I haven't won. I won't get anywhere by that. I'm counting the battles I _have_ won." Leo said flatly. _Being negative isn't going to win this... Being stupid isn't gonna win it either._

Satoshi laughed again. "Oh, ignoring your weaknesses, then?"

_No. Exploiting them._ Leo answered silently- catching himself from swaying. He blinked- as if he could get rid of the blur of his vision by merely blinking- then shook his head, trying to get rid of the dizziness. Of course, shaking his head merely made it worse- he staggered- nearly fell-

caught himself-

Satoshi leapt for him.

Leo dropped heavily, Satoshi's katana sliced over his head somewhere- Leo's right hand abandoned it's place at his side and slammed up- hopefully, to grab the hilt of the sword. He swept Satoshi's legs from under him, rolling backwards- he twisted and kicked Satoshi in the chest- hard.

They both cried out, Satoshi cried out as the breath was knocked from his chest- and Leo cried out when he moved.

_No time._ Leo told his body flatly. _You can feel it later._ _If... if there's a later._ He swung onto his feet, twisting Satoshi's katana from his fingers.

Leo faltered, now standing- holding Satoshi's katana.

He turned. Satoshi flinched away.

"Wai-" Satoshi shouted.

_Strike quickly, and you'll end it quickly._

"You can't kill me!" Satoshi cried- sounding like he had complete faith in his words. Leo didn't falter- couldn't risk it- his body was going to fail-

Leo slammed the blade down- he didn't care if the metal cracked or broke, it wasn't his katana. He wanted to hurt Satoshi- for _everything_ he had done to Leo and his family. But he couldn't risk it- his body was close to failing.

Satoshi laughed as the blade came down-

All Leo's memories lifted- to be replaced by-

the blade shattered on impact with the ground-

Impaling Satoshi--

Leo staggered back- then landed hard, heavily. Painfully.

The world began to go dark-

Satoshi kept laughing.

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duh duh duh! personally, I just think Satoshi is just a masochist or something... lol.

anyways, the last chapter is gonna be uploaded bout two seconds after this one!

so, I passed about last night at about 7 and slept steadily until about 6 this morning, ahh! 6! in the morning! so I went back to sleep until bout 9... which is a little better... still pretty horrible tho... 9 in the morning... what an ungodly hour...

anyways! I hope you've enjoyed it! thanks for sticking by it- and... I'm definitly thinking about a sequel - oh no, don't let it be so, I hear you cry, well, it may be so, so there. bleh...

woot- it's friday! OK... thanks again for reading- and now... I'm going to POOF away, using my amazing ninja master skills... ha ha don't laugh... I'm serious... if ninja master skills include falling over your own two feet and throwing yourself on the ground to avoid being spotted by your younger cousin!

(poof)


	9. Promises and Full Body Casts

**A/N **nope, ya can't make me say it- I won't say it!

ok...ok... I don't own the turtles. (sob, wail...)

so, this's the last chapter! i hope ya liked it. please read and review- it's awesome when I get reviews, makes my day- so... anyway, this's been great fun to write, and I hope you guys enjoyed reading it!

**Chapter Nine - Promises and full body casts**

Michaelangelo staggered back from a particularly powerful attack from one Elite. But he continued flailing backwards.

_Leo._

Donnatello's arms dropped unwillingly- leaving him wide open to the Elite he was fighting. Raphael cut a look to both of them, the pain in his side vanished. "Oh, shell." He croaked out, an aching, gnawing emptiness taking up space in his chest.

The three remaining Elite shared a look, then collectively vanished. Raphael frowned- but didn't dwell on it, he didn't care- what he cared about right now- was Leo- and Mikey and Donny.

"Don? Mike- are you..."

"Can you feel it?" Donnatello asked weakly. Raphael's breath quickened. _No. I refuse- no way. Not Leo. I refuse to believe it-_ Raphael thought violently, everything he had inside of him fighting against the knowledge that- _Leo_- _Leo... isn't coming home..._

Michaelangelo's breathing quickened as he began to panic. "No- not Leo-!" He gasped, chest rising and falling too fast.

"Mikey-" Donnatello whispered, voice failing him. "Oh... god- it feels... I feel so empty- I can't feel him anymore!"

"Don, Mike." Raphael began, swallowing down his own pain, ignoring his own desire to sit in a helpless mess beside Donnatello and Michaelangelo. _Leo wouldn't. Leo would pull us together. He'd get us up and looking for..._ But Leo isn't here! "Donnatello! Michaelangelo!" Raphael shouted, sounding enough like Leo for both of them to fix their attention on Raphael. "Pull it together! Leo wil- _is_ fine- we just have to find him, and bring him home. OK?!"

Donnatello swallowed hard. "Yeah." He stood slowly. "Yeah..."

Michaelangelo nodded mutely.

"Good. Now, Leo _should_ still have his shell cell. So, Donny, activate your tracker. We'll find him that way. Do you..." Raphael trailed off- _I don't know how to do this-_ "Do you have your..."

"Medical Kit? Only a few basics." Donnatello rescued Raphael. He forced a smile.

"He'll be OK, Mikey. This's _Leo_. You know what Leo's like. Just when you think it's over, just when you think he cannot possibly have anything left to give, he pulls through. He'll be OK. He's _always_ OK." Raphael said as comfortingly as possible. Michaelangelo nodded again, blinking helpless tears from his eyes. _He gives everything, but he never gives up_. Raphael almost smiled. _Mikey said that... a long time ago... But he's right. Leo gives everything, but he never gives up. We can't either._

"OK. I've got 'im. Let's go." Donnatello said, saving Raphael from trying to find anything else to say.

_You had better be OK, Leo. If you ain't... shell. I'll bring ya back, just ta kill ya!_ Raphael sent out a silent plea to his older brother. _You have ta be OK. Not for me... For Donny and Mikey..._ _They'll loose hope without you. And I can't lead 'em. Not like you do._

"Wait-" Michaelangelo said suddenly, and ran back.

"Mikey!" Raphael shouted. But, less than a minute later, Michaelangelo reappeared, with Leo's swords. _Oh... how could I forget? I've never forgotten Leo's ninjaken's before... _

"He'll need these, right?" Michaelangelo whispered.

"Yeah, sure he will." Raphael said weakly. _I've never forgotten them... How could I forget...?_

"He won't be using them for a long time." Donnatello said sternly.

"What- why?" Michaelangelo cried.

"He's hurt, remember? I've been meaning to make him relax so he can recover for a while, his body is pretty worn out." Donnatello explained. "So, I was thinking we could keep him in bed, for oh, I don't know. 6 months?"

Michaelangelo smiled. "6 months? You'll be lucky." Michaelangelo paused as they leapt over buildings, trying to ignore that horrible sinking feeling. "So, how are you planning on getting him to stay in bed for that long?"

"Full body cast sounds like a good idea." Donnatello replied mildly. Michaelangelo's smile turned into a grin. But then his face fell again.

"But... what if he's..."

"Don't even think it, Mikey. Leo is fine. He'll be fine." Raphael interupted, he and Donnatello shared a worried look over Michaelangelo's head. "You know Leo would _never_ be irresponsible enough to go and get himself killed. How would he drive us nuts?" Raphael forced a smile. "How would be lecture me? You know Leo ain't gonna give up so easy."

"Yeah, I know." Michaelangelo said softly, staring at his brothers discarded swords. "But... if... if he's not OK... it'll be our fault."

Raphael faltered. "What? why?" Donnatello demanded.

"These." Michaelangelo said, in the same, soft, sad tone. "He made sure we would be safe. Threw his swords, you know how much he _hates_ doing that."

"It will not be our fault, Mikey! Leo did it to protect us- it was _his_ choice!" Raphael snapped. _Why... shouldn't I be defending him? But- it isn't our fault! We can't... We can't take the blame for something like this- Leo does it... and it's killing him. I won't let that happen to us._ "Now, shut up and let's go get Fearless."

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"LEO!" Michaelangelo cried out, speeding up- leaving Raphael and Donnatello behind. Leo turned slowly, slouched over slightly, covered in blood.

"...Mike?" He gasped- Michaelangelo caught him as he started to fall.

"Leo- you're OK! I thought- we thought- _you left us! I couldn't feel you- I thought you were dead-_" Michaelangelo shouted.

"Mikey... you're making... no sense." Leo sighed.

"Mikey- move!" Donnatello ordered, dropping down beside Michaelangelo and Leo. "Leo- you... what happened?"

"I... uh..." Leo struggled for breath, he cleared his throat. He tried to speak again.

"No, don't worry, Leo. Just... don't let go, alright?" Donnatello said weakly.

Raphael sauntered over to Satoshi- there was nothing he could do to help Donny. Michaelangelo was there anyway. Truth be told, Raphael couldn't stand looking at his older brother when Leo was so... weak. Hurt. Because Raphael always wanted to kill whoever had hurt him.

But, just like this time, despite being hurt and wounded and weak and near-death, Leo had avenged himself. Raphael inspected Satoshi- the shattered blade- _the force it must have taken to break this blade!_ Raphael marveled. He checked for Satoshi's pulse.

Nothing.

Raphael sighed heavily- he was too worried for Leo, for Donny and Mikey- to be angry anymore. Too tired, too scared. He walked back over slowly.

"Raph... I need you to carry Leo. But be gentle, OK?" Donnatello ordered. "He's OK, but badly hurt."

"Sure thing, doc." Raphael shook his head, and knelt down beside Leo.

"Donny, I'm fine- I can _walk_... I'm not an invalid." Leo sighed, trying to brush Raphael away. Raphael cracked a smile. _He's OK. I know Donny said he was OK... but I never really believe it until Leo says something like that_.

"Quit ya whining, Leo." Raphael said flatly, and picked Leo up.

"I'm..." Leo said no more, just sighed heavily, resigning himself to his fate. "Are... you three aren't hurt, are you?"

_Yeah, he's fine._ Raphael hid his smile. _When you get better Leo, I'm gonna beat the crap outta you for scarin' us so bad_.

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"Leo- you should still be in bed!" Donnatello cried out in surprise.

"Donny, I'm going stir-crazy just lying there all day." Leo said, looking pale and exhausted from the trip downstairs. He sat heavily in the chair opposite Donnatello.

"What happened to you?" Donnatello asked, after sighing and glaring at his brother for a few minutes. He knew Leo wasn't going to give- and he was downstairs, so he might as well find out what happened. _Besides, I can always have Raph man-handle him back up to bed in a bit._

Leo shook his head. "Bout the usual. Did you see Satoshi's body?"

"No, but Raph did. Why?"

"When I... when I stabbed him- Satoshi... I don't know... Released his hold on my mind, or memories, I suppose. And I... the world faded out. So... I wasn't... wasn't sure that Satoshi was dead." Leo said, as if admitting it had been difficult.

"Raph would have said... So- what did you remember?" Donnatello pressed, now curious. Leo had told them what Satoshi had _made_ him think had happened.

"Not much. Remember wakin' up, Satoshi being there- and I guess that's when he got into my head, because a few minutes later... I must have passed out. Everything else is just a blur of pain, and vague shapes, clips of memories. Then, you and Mikey in the battle shell." Leo sighed.

"What the shell are ya doing outta bed?!" Raphael exploded. Leo jumped, then hissed and held his side.

"Damnit Raph!" Leo cried. Raphael snorted, hid a smile, composed himself, and folded his arms.

"Well? What're ya doin' outta bed?" Raphael repeated. Leo shook his head.

Donnatello grinned widely. Raphael cut him a look. "Don't worry, Raph. You know what Leo's like. He actually lasted longer in bed than I thought he would." Donnatello replied to Raphael's look.

"I still think we shouldda gone with the full-body cast." Raphael grumbled, sitting between them.

"You... what?" Leo asked mildly.

"We were discussing ways to keep you in bed for 6 months." Donnatello explained. "Raph suggested a full body cast."

"6 months?" Leo repeated.

"Yeah- and don't complain! Or I might just arrange it." Donnatello threatened. Leo grimaced and held his hands up in surrender.

"OK, OK. I swear, I shall nev-"

"Leo! You're up- when'd you get out of bed?" Michaelangelo asked.

"Bout 10 minutes ago." Leo replied.

"How're ya feeling?" Raphael asked, Michaelangelo drew a chair up, moving it closer to Leo.

"A little worried. A full body cast?" Leo scowled. Donnatello cut him a warning look. Leo held his hands up again. "Fine. Sore. But fine. Hey, Raph- Donny said you saw... Satoshi's body. He was... dead, wasn't he?"

Raphael frowned. "Yeah, I mean, as far as I could tell. I checked for a pulse, but didn't get one. Why?"

Leo shook his head. "Just... being cautious." Leo stood weakly.

"Where ya going?" Michaelangelo asked quickly.

"To the dojo." Leo rolled his eyes, both Donnatello and Raphael leapt up.

"I'll knock 'im out, you get the casting mix ready." Raphael began. Leo laughed.

"I'm joking. I'm joking." Leo shook his head. "Besides, if I _was_ going to go to the dojo to train, I'd do it at night, when you were all asleep."

"Watch duty, from now on." Raphael said in the same tone.

Leo shook his head. Michaelangelo laughed. "Relax. The idea of a full body cast... is disturbing. I'll stay in bed."

"I'll buy that for 2 minutes." Raphael muttered and followed Leo all the way up to his bedroom.

"Oh, man, I feel like I'm being walked up to the firing squad. What, ya think I'm gonna make a run for the dojo?" Leo grinned.

"Wouldn't put it past ya." Raphael paused. "Trainin' is your vice."

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Leo sat up, he had no idea what time it was, but the lair was silent. Apart from the sound of the TV in the living room. Leo slowly slipped from bed, masking a groan of pain with a sigh. He moved to the door silently and pulled it open.

He closed the door again quickly.

_I thought they were joking..._ Leo muttered. Raphael was asleep outside. Leo shook his head. _And they think I'm protective and over-bearing..._ Leo shook his head, and slipped outside, past Raphael.

He made his way silently downstairs, into the living room. Michaelangelo was watching some late-night horror movie.

"You know they give you nightmares." Leo sighed, sitting beside Michaelangelo.

"Dude- you shouldn't-"

"Sshh." Leo whispered.

Michaelangelo grinned. "Snuck past the night guard then, eh?" Leo nodded. Michaelangelo smiled. "Man, is Raph gonna kill you."

"Real helpful, Mikey."

"An' you're too sick to run away." Michaelangelo continued. "You're doomed, bro."

They sat in silence for a while, Leo trying to accept his fate, and Michaelangelo trying to think of something to say, it was a first, for Mikey. To be speechless.

"Bro... I... we were so worried about you." Michaelangelo said finally. Leo nodded grimly.

"I'm sorry." Leo said softly, putting an arm around Mikey's shoulders. "I'm sorry I worried you."

Michaelangelo shook his head, and hugged his brother.

Raphael stood silently in the door way- he had been about to burst in, throw Leo over his shoulder and cart him off back to bed, but had stopped, watching, listening instead.

Michaelangelo was holding onto Leo as if he was drowning, and Leo was his life raft.

"Leo... Satoshi's dead, right?" Michaelangelo whispered. Leo swallowed.

_Granted... defeating him wasn't easy... but... I can't believe it's over yet..._

"Promise me it's over." Michaelangelo repeated, the silence from his brother worried him, and he looked at Leo. But- he was still there, frowning hard, staring at the ground. "Promise me."

Raphael swallowed. _Why isn't Leo answering him? Damnit Leo- why aren't you..._

Raphael's thought trailed off, as he realised why Leo wasn't answering Mikey, or promising Mikey it was over, that Satoshi was dead.

_Leo doesn't like to lie._

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duh duh duh!

don't hate me.

maybe Leo just wants to be better safe than sorry!

or maybe, I'm a cow and wanted to leave you hanging! take it or leave it, lol.

woot, I think I'll upload my outline... cos it's... kind of funny, or scary, whichever way ya wanna look at it. I have no excuse, I was sober, and not high, when I wrote it... it just goes to show how short my attention span is...

hehehehe.

so, I hope ya enjoyed, I hope I managed to kind of keep 'em all in character.

Oh, and one last thing, i just decided that Leo spent the next 6 months in a full body cast.

hahaha! mwahahahaha! don't mess with Donny- or Raph... for that matter. because they WILL have their revenge.


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